N. Korea to reopen hotline, pushes back on talks with South

SEOUL: North Korea said Friday it would restore its severed hotline with South Korea, taking another step towards dialling down months of tension, even as it quibbled over its rival's offer of high-level talks in Seoul.

In a sign of the horse-trading to come, the North said the proposed talks should initially be held at a lower level than the South's wish for a ministerial meeting, and should take place on North Korean territory.